The teacher said, "Let's begin by reviewing some American History. Who said 'Give me Liberty , or give me Death'?"
She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Little Akio, a bright foreign exchange student from Japan , who had his hand up: "Patrick Henry, 1775," he said.
"Very good! -- Who said, 'Government of the People, by the People, for the People, shall not perish from the Earth'?"
Again, no response except from Little Akio: "Abraham Lincoln, 1863."
"Excellent!" said the teacher continuing, "Let's try one a bit more difficult -- Who said, 'Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your
Country?"
Once again, Akio's was the only hand in the air and he said: "John F. Kennedy, 1961."
The teacher snapped at the class, "Class, you should be ashamed of yourselves, Little Akio isn't from this country and he knows more about our history than you
Do."
She heard a loud whisper: "F_ _ k the Japs."
"Who said that? -- I want to know right now!? She angrily demanded.
Little Akio put his hand up, "General MacArthur, 1945."
At that point, a student in the back said, "I'm going to puke.'
The teacher glares around and asks, 'All right! -- Now who said that?"
Again, Little Akio says, "George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister, 1991."
Now furious, another student yells, "Oh yeah? -- Suck this!"
Little Akio jumps out of his chair waving his hand and shouts to the teacher, "Bill Clinton, to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!"
Now with almost mob hysteria someone said, "You little $hit! -- If you say anything else -- I'll kill you!"
Little Akio frantically yells at the top of his voice, "Michael Jackson to the children testifying against him, 2004."
The teacher fainted. As the class gathered around the teacher on the floor, someone said, "Oh $hit, We're screwed!"

I mean, I obviously see the attempt at an Obama insult... but really I don't think this "joke" makes any sense at all. (Well, okay... the Clinton line was kinda funny.)

First off, it portrays most or all American kids as ignorant, violent racists. That may be true for some kids (and their parents) across our country, but it certainly shouldn't be laughed at or celebrated.

It also suggests that people in other countries are more knowledgable about our country's history than our own citizens... again, there may be some sad truth to this, but I don't see the "funny".

And the last line, the Obama "zinger", is the most idiotic part of all. In the context of this joke, the "American People" obviously don't know a thing. And yet "they" supposedly all proclaimed that they were screwed when President Obama was re-elected?

Unless Little Akio was only referring to the violent, ignorant, xenophobic American people in regard to that quote?

Rich: I take it you voted for CHANGE! Maybe that's why you don't get it. (That’s not ment as an insult) And yes many of the "things you don’t Get is what makes the joke funny because of the Partial truth that weaves in and out of it.
"If you don’t get" that most Americans either don't know this country's history or choose to ignore it then your fooling yourself or part of the problem.
If your Don't get that History should NOT be ignored and in-fact used as a road map to the future, Then again that's another part of this country's many problems.
History is not taught in many class rooms, but required to gain citizenship in this great country. Many people that are fresh of the boat know more about this country's past then people that were born here and lived here 30 years! SAD

I mean, I obviously see the attempt at an Obama insult... but really I don't think this "joke" makes any sense at all. (Well, okay... the Clinton line was kinda funny.)

First off, it portrays most or all American kids as ignorant, violent racists. That may be true for some kids (and their parents) across our country, but it certainly shouldn't be laughed at or celebrated.

It also suggests that people in other countries are more knowledgable about our country's history than our own citizens... again, there may be some sad truth to this, but I don't see the "funny".

And the last line, the Obama "zinger", is the most idiotic part of all. In the context of this joke, the "American People" obviously don't know a thing. And yet "they" supposedly all proclaimed that they were screwed when President Obama was re-elected?

Unless Little Akio was only referring to the violent, ignorant, xenophobic American people in regard to that quote?

I didn't jump in to defend Obama. I couldn't care less what a bunch of strangers on a forum think of him.

As Grant said, jokes are funny because they point to truths... and in this case, I think the "truth" expressed is the sad state of our education system... although I don't find it funny.

If you guys just want to stroke each other on how much you hate the president, I'm cool with that. Do your thing. I thought maybe I'd actually spin the conversation into something relevant... my bad. As you were.

Rich: I agree its not funny its pretty sad, and that's how lot's of people (myself included) deal with the kind reality we currently have in play, Threw jokes, ect. I thought you were somehow defending it and some what offended by the joke. And that was my reply to you. I guess we were on the same page you just expressed it diffrent. As far as "actually spin the conversation into something relevant" that's a great Idea! What did you have in mind.

I will start with this quote.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"
George Santayana (1863-1952)

Number B... I'm pretty much impossible to offend. but I am down to discuss and debate.

And lastly... I've unfortunately wasted way too much of my brain space on movie quotes and trivia. I may miss the occasional reference, but it's rare.

"...education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense. "
Sam Seaborn 1999

The above Quotes didn't say all the american people,just the people who didn't vote for "O". What does "O" stand for you ask? It stands for oppose. Oppose success.Oppose hard work,Oppose Religion,Oppose morals and above all Oppose doing the right and ethical thing.

I don't think it is funny at all. It's tragic. Only an absolute moron would equate gay marriage to marrying a "labrador". You guys that are still baffled by Romney's loss need to look no further than this letter.

I don't think it is funny at all. It's tragic. Only an absolute moron would equate gay marriage to marrying a "labrador". You guys that are still baffled by Romney's loss need to look no further than this letter.

P.S. The only money I ever received directly from the government was the paycheck I got on the 1st and the 15th when I served 6 years in the US Navy. The other was when I received the disbursements for my Navy College Fund and the Montgomery GI Bill.

I don't think it is funny at all. It's tragic. Only an absolute moron would equate gay marriage to marrying a "labrador". You guys that are still baffled by Romney's loss need to look no further than this letter.

Not many people are "baffled" any more. We're just disappointed and disgusted in our fellow citizens who only care about themselves and what they can squeeze out of the system. Bunch of leaches who won't get out of bed or want something for nothing and then just pass that expense plus compounding interest on to the next generation. There's an entire generation who fits my description that is emerging as adults (and has been for the last few years) which will be the poster children for the opposite of what JFK called us to do. Not to mention the moral depravity that gets worse by the minute. Marrying a Labrador. There's no difference between that and gay marriage. They're both wrong. So ya... I'm a moron.

Number B... I'm pretty much impossible to offend. but I am down to discuss and debate.

And lastly... I've unfortunately wasted way too much of my brain space on movie quotes and trivia. I may miss the occasional reference, but it's rare.

"...education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense. "
Sam Seaborn 1999

I could not agree less with this. Every year we spend more and more on education and every year our children get dumber and dumber. It does not matter how much the government budgets on education as long as we have a society and culture that puts so little emphasis on it. As long as our children watch things like Jersey Shore, and MTV Cribs you will not see an improvement in education.

Furthermore the parents of today do not care, they do not teach their children the value of being educated. Until this changes the education situation in the USA will not change.

I find it curious that Romney supporters know exactly why they support him but Obama supporters never explain why they support Obama. I'd like to challenge any of the "intellectuals" here to cite one reason why Obama is good for this country and elucidate exactly why that is.

I mean, I know why at least 47% of the population support him, but I can't fathom why anyone who is a net contributor would vote for someone who provides incentive for poor people to stay poor.

"Marrying a Labrador. There's no difference between that and gay marriage."

Congratulations...You have just won most idiotic post of the year.

Jeremy, you can say all you want but it doesn't change the truth of what I said. Sin is sin. Watch as our culture dies a slow death because of it. I didn't make the rules. God did. Moral relativism has crept into our society and put the hurtin on our future.

Jeremy, you can say all you want but it doesn't change the truth of what I said. Sin is sin. Watch as our culture dies a slow death because of it. I didn't make the rules. God did. Moral relativism has crept into our society and put the hurtin on our future.

Luckily the only thing dying a slow death is the percentage of the electorate that agrees with you. Our great-grandchildren will wonder what took us so long to get a clue.

I don't think it is funny at all. It's tragic. Only an absolute moron would equate gay marriage to marrying a "labrador". You guys that are still baffled by Romney's loss need to look no further than this letter.

Tragic? So you were "in the Navy" AND you're a proponent of homosexuality. No disrespect to the Navy but, were The Village People a big influence on you? Did the don't ask don't tell policy play a role in your getting into the Navy? No offense. Just curious.

I find it curious that Romney supporters know exactly why they support him but Obama supporters never explain why they support Obama. I'd like to challenge any of the "intellectuals" here to cite one reason why Obama is good for this country and elucidate exactly why that is.

Because Romney's claims didn't make any sense, and his basic motive appears to be low taxes on the high earners. There was nothing Romney said that would balance the budget. Low taxes and high military spending don't add up. Romney bashed Obama for cutting future increases in Medicare spending and now after the election the cornerstone of GOP budgeting is cutting Medicare. Do you Republicans actually think, or do you simply not care about your credibility if you believe your drivel is convincing to enough to win the election?

Combine that with the fact that 8 years of a Republican in office coincided with the worse economic decline in the country and you might just be able to comprehend why we think you righties are freak'n idiots. Not to mention that the greatest percentage increases in deficit spending all occurred with a Republican in the WH.

The problems with this country are far more than deficit spending and welfare. We have a capitalist system that total ignores the unsustainable economics of sending the domestic money supply overseas with no means to replace it except by monetary expansion and deficit spending. We believe that's it possible to concentrate the wealth at the top while maintaining a standard of living for the citizens of this country. We want maintain our quality of life, but want to buy products made from labor with a much lower quality of life. We want to consume resources without any regard to the consequences. And the Republicans have no answers to this. So if you really think a Republican President is going to make it all better, I have some swamp land in Florida that you may be interested in.

P.S. The only money I ever received directly from the government was the paycheck I got on the 1st and the 15th when I served 6 years in the US Navy. The other was when I received the disbursements for my Navy College Fund and the Montgomery GI Bill.

What is your definition of a moron? Please define.

And am I a moron because I did not vote for Obama or am I a moron because I dont' know your military history?

Let me know what you think a moron is related to this post. I'd love to discuss.

Because Romney's claims didn't make any sense, and his basic motive appears to be low taxes on the high earners. There was nothing Romney said that would balance the budget. Low taxes and high military spending don't add up. Romney bashed Obama for cutting future increases in Medicare spending and now after the election the cornerstone of GOP budgeting is cutting Medicare. Do you Republicans actually think, or do you simply not care about your credibility if you believe your drivel is convincing to enough to win the election?

Combine that with the fact that 8 years of a Republican in office coincided with the worse economic decline in the country and you might just be able to comprehend why we think you righties are freak'n idiots. Not to mention that the greatest percentage increases in deficit spending all occurred with a Republican in the WH.

The problems with this country are far more than deficit spending and welfare. We have a capitalist system that total ignores the unsustainable economics of sending the domestic money supply overseas with no means to replace it except by monetary expansion and deficit spending. We believe that's it possible to concentrate the wealth at the top while maintaining a standard of living for the citizens of this country. We want maintain our quality of life, but want to buy products made from labor with a much lower quality of life. We want to consume resources without any regard to the consequences. And the Republicans have no answers to this. So if you really think a Republican President is going to make it all better, I have some swamp land in Florida that you may be interested in.

We dont have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem. The Obama administration has a nack for spending. There is no way to argue that point.

Jeff, why did you quote my post when you didn't address anything I said? The problem is much greater then revenue or spending. The problem is an unsustainable economic model. The revenue and spending issues are consequences of issues related to our economic model.

Jeff, you do know that the highest level of deficit spending was established during Bush's term in the White House right? And you do know that Romney presented no credible plan that would reduce deficit spending as well, right? So I have to wonder, what is it you are going on about?

And am I a moron because I did not vote for Obama or am I a moron because I dont' know your military history?

Let me know what you think a moron is related to this post. I'd love to discuss.

Because of your line "You are welcome for the money though!" Maybe I made a false assumption, but I take that to mean that if you voted for Obama, you are the recipient of a government handout. Truth is, there are millions of people that voted for Obama that won't receive a dime in handouts. There are also plenty of Romney voters that receive government handouts.

Jeremy, you can say all you want but it doesn't change the truth of what I said. Sin is sin. Watch as our culture dies a slow death because of it. I didn't make the rules. God did. Moral relativism has crept into our society and put the hurtin on our future.

There is no truth to what you said. You sound like the old timers from the 50's. "Rock-n-roll music is going to be the end of our country". Just replace rock-n-roll with homosexuals.

"Jeff, you do know that the highest level of deficit spending was established during Bush's term in the White House right"

You do know Obama has only been in office for 4.5 years and is only about 225 billion behind him right? Give it four years and see if you will still be singing that tune.

Well, that 225 billion represents a reduction in deficit spending. And quite frankly history shows that deficit spending goes up under Republican Presidents. It's gone down with Obama after Bush and it's gone down with Clinton after Reagan/GHW Bush. So again... exactly what point are you trying to make as a Republican bashing a Democrat over deficit spending?

I will say one thing... Republicans are steadfast and unwavering about adhering to their willful ignorance. You guys are like a stopped clock. Eventually you are right about something, but only for a few fleeting moments.

There is no truth to what you said. You sound like the old timers from the 50's. "Rock-n-roll music is going to be the end of our country". Just replace rock-n-roll with homosexuals.

So you're saying that the deviant sexual behavior you're promoting is good? Are you nuts? Ever heard of AIDS? What's wrong with the 50's? When you could walk down almost any street and not fear for your life... We should all want those times back. Too late.

So you're saying that the deviant sexual behavior you're promoting is good? Are you nuts? Ever heard of AIDS? What's wrong with the 50's? When you could walk down almost any street and not fear for your life***... We should all want those times back. Too late.

You didn't even have to be one of those things in the 50's... in plenty of places, you only had to be black to risk being murdered for being on the wrong street. Florida might want those times back, but most of us don't.

Oh, and it's too bad that God of yours just passes that AIDS thing out to thousands of hetero people all the time. Even babies! That guy paints with a wide brush when he's trying to eradicate all those evil labrador-lovers.

Well, that 225 billion represents a reduction in deficit spending. And quite frankly history shows that deficit spending goes up under Republican Presidents. It's gone down with Obama after Bush and it's gone down with Clinton after Reagan/GHW Bush. .

John, please explain this to me because apparently we get our info from different places. Both parties spend more than they take in, both parties are destroying our country, but what the current admin is doing is crazy.

Obama 4 years approx $5.2 trillion added with $1 trillion PER YEAR of deficit spending over his second term according to CBO. Now with Obama's recently released tax proposal and spending, 2013 is no longer $1 trillion, it is now reported to be $1.4 trillion. I can only imagine what the debt will be by 2016 if this trend continues.

Spending needs to stop, accross the board. It is going to hurt, bad, but it needs to be done. Every President in our history has kicked the debt can down the road and added to it... time to stop fighting about which president would be better (Romney would have been marginally better to the economy but I believe would have still added debt, albeit at a slower rate) and start calling and writing your congressmen/women. Congress has the majority of the power. Call them, bug them, threaten them with your vote. Vote in fiscally responsible representatives. A strong congress will stop most action of a runaway president (exceptions of "executive orders"), just ask Clinton and his last 6 years of his presidency and Bush Jr and his last 2 years of his presidency.

So you're saying that the deviant sexual behavior you're promoting is good? Are you nuts? Ever heard of AIDS? What's wrong with the 50's? When you could walk down almost any street and not fear for your life... We should all want those times back. Too late.

It seems like you are still stuck in the 1980's. Maybe you should do a bit of research and you will see that homosexuals are not the only people susceptible to AIDS.

And nothing wrong with the 50's...I suspect you would want to bring back some of the practices and use them for modern times. You know, two separate water fountains; one for heterosexuals and one for homosexuals. Make the gays ride in the back of the bus. Hose them down like dogs when they get out of line and protest for equal treatment. And probably you and G's favorite...No black president?????

John, please explain this to me because apparently we get our info from different places. Both parties spend more than they take in, both parties are destroying our country, but what the current admin is doing is crazy.

Obama 4 years approx $5.2 trillion added with $1 trillion PER YEAR of deficit spending over his second term according to CBO. Now with Obama's recently released tax proposal and spending, 2013 is no longer $1 trillion, it is now reported to be $1.4 trillion. I can only imagine what the debt will be by 2016 if this trend continues.

Spending needs to stop, accross the board. It is going to hurt, bad, but it needs to be done. Every President in our history has kicked the debt can down the road and added to it... time to stop fighting about which president would be better (Romney would have been marginally better to the economy but I believe would have still added debt, albeit at a slower rate) and start calling and writing your congressmen/women. Congress has the majority of the power. Call them, bug them, threaten them with your vote. Vote in fiscally responsible representatives. A strong congress will stop most action of a runaway president (exceptions of "executive orders"), just ask Clinton and his last 6 years of his presidency and Bush Jr and his last 2 years of his presidency.

John, please explain this to me because apparently we get our info from different places. Both parties spend more than they take in, both parties are destroying our country, but what the current admin is doing is crazy.

If deficit spending is at X when you take office and it's X-1 a year later that is a reduction. Deficit and debt are two different things. And your post above indicates that you don't know that because you said Bush added $5.9tr to the deficit. That's not deficit, it's debt. Debt will always increase if the deficit is positive.

When you look at deficit spending increases as a percentage the Republicans are the worst offenders. Which makes them the worst contributors to the debt.

This is why Republicans appear to be ignorant of the facts and evangelists of the rhetoric. They seem to believe that the GOP leaders will magically be different the next time.

When you spend more than you take in, its called deficit spending. That deficit gets added to the debt. It goes from the income statement to the balance sheet. The above numbers are the addition of each year of deficit spending for both presidents. If we were talking about national debt, the number would have gone from 11 Trillion to 16 trillion.

Okay John, I didnt proofread my post so I believe you that I misused deficit and debt. I understand the difference between the two, that one directly affects the other. Bottom line is that all presidents I listed added to the debt every year. Regardless of party, they added to it. Bush ramped up the debt big time, Obama is going to double or triple Bush's debt increases.

So between republicans and democrats, I am neither, you are incorrect about the Debt. Democrats are the worst contributors to the debt. It may (or may not) be true that as a percentage of GDP, Republicans have a greater percentage of deficit spending, but the debt prize goes to the Dems. period.

This is why Republicans.... They seem to believe that the GOP leaders will magically be different the next time.

This right here, although incomplete, is part of the reason that I left the party on 04. The GOP is slowly being infiltrated by progressives. The Democratic party is completely infiltrated and has been for years.

I have no doubt that most republicans are hopeful the next president will be different, the nominee always promises that he will be different. However, the Democrats (over the past 100 years) have CONSISTENTLY spent, added programs, grown government, and made promises that cannot be kept. If I a den votes democrat, they know what they are getting, more government and less freedom. If a republican votes republican, they do not know who they are getting... it could be a progressive who wants more government and more programs (Bush) or someone who is an actual conservative. Its a crapshoot for those who vote for the republican...downside they get a RINO, upside they get someone who represents them.

You are correct that debt increases under Obama will be higher. But the state of the country was a poor economy and high deficit spending when Obama took office. If Obama had cut the deficit then the economy would have been much worse. The reason why the deficit increased in the first place was because of what occurred during the previous administration.

I don't understand how you think that Democrats are worse when the figures clearly show the opposite. If I crash a car and then turn it over to someone else, you aren't going to blame the next person for the state of the car. Take a look at percentage increases in deficit spending over the current and previous administrations and you will see that Republicans are the least fiscally responsible.

The point of my argument isn't to claim that Democrats are fiscally responsible. It's to impress the point that Republicans pointing the finger at Obama clearly have no clue about our economics issues and are the worse people to look to for accurate or even reasonable information.

Well, if anybody get their info from a politician or a political pundit, then they clearly have no clue. There is so much to all the increases in debt. Reagan increased the debt even after he helped to turn the economy around and grow it at an incredible rate, then bush the first rides that success and goes to war. Clinton was handed a really strong economy, and although he cut defense (military, CIA, FBI.....etc) spending greatly, he still added to the debt. Bush jr. was handed a slowing economy, partly do to the .com bubble, then was handed 911. He went to 2 wars, grew the defense and military back up to pre-clinton levels, then added to it, and rode a fake economic boom (made possible by forcing banks to give home mortgages to the undeserving, a series of regulations and deregulations put in place by our government starting with Clinton in 1999 and continuing with Bush up until 2006). All this and STILL adding to the debt. Obama was handed a crappy economy and 2 wars. Now he has 1 war and a crappy economy even after getting all the stimulus he said he needed. On top of all that, Under Obamas policies, Government is still growing (at a faster rate) and the private sector is still shrinking. Four more years will just add to the growth of government and the growth of our Debt.

If you or I ran our homes or businesses the way that government is run, we would be bankrupt. You can argue which is better, R or D. They both suck, they both lie, they both underestimate the severity of the situation and they both REFUSE to do what is needed to first, get the deficit back to 0 for the fiscal year. We need to stop the increasing debt. Then start to pay down the debt. To say that democrats are more fiscally responsible is laughable. They want to tax me more and spend my money irresponsibly. If my son had an allowance that he spent all of it on candy, and then told me he owes the candy man more money cuz he over spent, that he needs to get a raise in his allowance to pay it off, I would not give him an increase. He has shown he is irresponsible with the amount I gave him and cannot be trusted with more. My son is the government...

Funny thing is, Obama said that taxing anyone in a recession is detrimental to the economy, I guess he does not think that anymore even though it is true.

That is why I believe in hammering your congressmen. If you do not know who your 2 senators are and who your House Rep is, then go to their website and find out, bookmark their webpage, and email and call them to keep them on track.

I will get that link, and no the recession did not end in 2009, some "experts" say that, but look around, we are worse off in almost every way than in 2009. So if 2008 was the last full year of the "recession", then from 2009 til now we are in something worse than a "recession".

So we are not in a recession, and havent been since 2009, by the definition of "recession". I will buy that. But we are at the bottom of that same June 2009 trough. So if tax increases were a bad idea in July 09 (not during a "recession") according to Obama, then why would tax increases not be a bad idea when the economy is the same or worse now than in June 09?

Recession or no recession. The economy sucks, no matter how many Trillions we throw at it, how artificially low they keep interest rates, how much money the Fed prints, then monetizes the debt (writing a check to itself) aka: Quantitative Easing #3 (QE 1 in 2008, QE2 in 2010, QE3 announced Sept this year) it does not budge.

Bottom line: Government does nothing great on budget. They do some things great (military) but not on budget. They do some things on budget (I can't think of a single one at the moment) but not great too. US postal service. Great service, fast, reliable... ridiculously over budget and needs your money to subsidize it.

Government involvement equals bubbles and crashes, during recessions government gets involved and makes everything worse. Easy answer, Government just stop it, please.

"Well, if anybody get their info from a politician or a political pundit, then they clearly have no clue."
Yes, we finally have an independent thinker! Oh,
"We need to stop the increasing debt."
I think you have been listening to political pundits, We do not have to reduce the debt, Bush maybe should have decreased the debt, but he did GROW the economy, so the debt was balanced with economic growth, what we need to do is GROW THE ECONOMY, as long as the debt stays close to GDP the economy can thrive! Jobs are available, but they are more technical jobs that are needed, if Americans don't want these jobs hire the tech literate foreigner, someone that can add to our economy. We are now building cars at a plant in Ohio that are predicted to sell More cars overseas than in Our Country, We are building a Gas powered electric Power Plant in Cleveland and have so Much potential for Natural Gas that by the Year 2020 we can be exporting natural gas to other countries!
Not everything is gloom and doom.
"If you or I ran our homes or businesses the way that government is run, we would be bankrupt."
No.
I'm pretty sure a guy making 50k can buy a 200k house, and can get a second mortgage of 35k and NOT be bankrupt, He might be IN DEBT but as long as he's working, he is NOT Bankrupt!